7 5. Vengeful Spirit

Zhao Wei glanced at his wristwatch.

Ah, it's almost 8.00 pm, he sighed heavily in his heart. He wanted to come back before the dark. However, the traffic flow became infuriatingly slow at the main road and delayed his journey to one hour late. He didn't have any choice other than continued his driving.

From afar, Zhao Wei could saw his college's residential building. The Jupiter building was built on the top of a small mountain. He sighed again. If he could, he didn't want to come back to this place. Nevertheless, such a simple wish carried a heavy consequence with it. It's already too late for him to leave this place without being implicated by 'that' thing. If he didn't comes back during the appointed time, he might experience something worse than death itself. Zhao Wei gripped the car's steering tightly.

The car stopped at the empty parking lots in front of the building. Unlike the college's registration day, tonight, only two or three vehicles are available. Seniors can drive their own cars and can come back to the college later than the first-year students. As long as they are inside the college's compound before ten o'clock in the evening, then, it is permitted.

Zhao Wei glanced at the group of young boys playing basketball at the nearby basketball outdoor court. They look happy, and their laughter is bustling in the air. How carefree of them, the thought crossed his mind, and he shook his head.

After Zhao Wei locked his car, he pulled his big bag and slung it over his left shoulder. He started walking towards the lift when he suddenly felt a shiver running down his spine. He went stiff, unable to move. Cold sweat is rolling down from his forehead.

Then, he heard a crying voice, and it comes from behind him! What's so worrying about this crying sound, you asked? Well, since the residents of this building are all boys, why would you hear the cries of a young girl out of nowhere? Isn't it weird?

He turned his body around and started searching for the owner of the crying sound, yet, he found no one. No other person is available in the parking lots except him! He repeated, there is no sighting of a girl nearby. There's none! Well, there are also a group of young boys. But, they are boys, and not a girl. Besides, they are still laughing happily as before, and it looked like they are not even heard the crying voice.

Zhao Wei nervously swallowed his saliva. He gripped his big bag tightly. Calm down, he said to himself. You heard nothing, Zhao Wei, nothing at all. Let's just move...

He then sensed someone or something walking towards him in a slow, staggering step. Like, someone is inexplicably dragging around their legs. And, he swears, he saw a silhouette of a young girl from his peripheral vision. Oh my goodness. This...this girl is still here, after all?! Why?!

***

Izzat squinted his eyes. He saw a young man bolt out from the lift in a panicky state and running a full speed toward him. They almost collided with each other if not because of Izzat's fast reflexes.

"Are you okay?" He asked in a worried tone. This young man's face is as white as pale as a corpse, and he looked terrified of something. Did someone chase after him?

Zhao Wei shook his head. With the erratic beating of his heart and his laborious breathing, he looked as if he took the stairs and not the lift to come here.

Zhao Wei's eyes quivered. He throws a glance behind his back. When he spots nothing, he finally released a relieved sigh. That girl didn't follow him around, ah, how lucky of him.

Izzat could guess, this young man is a senior that just come back to college. With his big bag, what else can you conclude?

"Senior? Are you okay? You look sick, and I'm worried you will suddenly collapse here. Do I need to inform someone?" Izzat's question is snapping Zhao Wei's attention back to him.

"You are...a junior? In this dorm?"

Izzat nodded his head.

"Ah, then, I am your new housemate. What is your name? I am Zhao Wei, a second-year student." Zhao Wei holds out his hand for a handshake.

Izzat took the handshake with a genuine smile on his face.

"I am Izzat, Izzat Haikal. It's a pleasure to meet you, senior."

"Me too," Zhao Wei replied, sincerely. "By the way, as your senior, I should probably remind you. In this college, please do not stay outside for too long, especially when approaching midnight. Unlike those boys below, it is advisable for you to not follow their bad example. It is dangerous. I am not lying. Something might take a liking over you and follow you around without you realize. By the time you realized, it might be too late."

"Ah, the head student had also reminded us these kinds of things the other day. He firmly advised us to follow this rule if we wanted to live in peace. Thank you, senior, for your kind advice." Izzat wholeheartedly agreed to Zhao Wei's words. He had no reason to disobey it. "I also had seen her. Hence, if I could avoid it, I will not stray outside. In particular during the night. In case 'she' follow me back, when I am not expecting it. So, please reassure yourself with my promise."

"Good. This is for your safety after all, so...eh?" Zhao Wei's eyes widen in shock. He had just realized something. Izzat is clearly stated that he also sees that thing. Did he also know the existence of 'her'?

"You...you said, you also saw...'her'...?"

Izzat gives him an understanding smile.

"It's late, senior. And, you're tired. It's a long journey to come back to this place, right? Let's talk tomorrow, okay?"

Zhao Wei is dumbfounded by Izzat's relaxed behavior even after he knows the dark secret of this college. Who is this kid? He is not an ordinary person. Zhao Wei never met such an odd person like him before. How can Izzat acted calm and as composed as other people? As if these kinds of supernatural occurrences never bothered him? Didn't he felt scared by them? Or is he just pretending?